The Other Dixon
by xMusicGurlx
Summary: Everyone wondered about the mysterious girl that appeared with the two brothers. Read as she makes a name for herself, connecting the lives of the group together as they fight for the will to survive. Daryl/OC Please read and review. First TWD story, starts at season 1 and goes onwards from there.
1. The Other Dixon- The Beginning

**_AN: HELLO! This is the first time I've tried writing a Walking Dead story. Please be kind to me. If there is any errors in spelling or grammar, I am sorry. Please read and review! Enjoy!_**

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_Lori could remember the first time the mysterious girl appeared into their camp. It was just a few days since the apocalypse had begun and everyone's nerves were on high alert. Everyone was running on little to no sleep, with only a few calories and bad coffee to keep them going as they stayed safe in the quarry. Lori had been with Carl, doing her best to keep him on a schedule and off any horrible thoughts that she knew he had. Standing underneath the shade of the evergreens, Lori had watched as Daryl ran towards the RV, Dale fumbling with radio as he tried to get the signal back. Dale had picked up something, and for some reason it shook the young Dixon. Daryl had pushed him away, grabbing the radio away from the old man. Merle wasn't far behind, everyone steering clear of the man as he watched his brother. She couldn't hear what was being said, but the look on both of their faces was real clear. They were looking for blood and were going to get it._

_Running off for a couple of hours, no one could have guessed what the two men would bring back. Parking the old truck close to the RV, everyone watched as Daryl climbed out of the back; a young girl cradled in his arms, her entire body limp. It was the first time they had seen the girl and everyone was amazed. Not amazed that she had survived….they were amazed that something so small could bring both of the Dixon men to their knees. Both of the country men had their eyes on the girl as she breathed slowly in Daryl's arms. She had run over to them, Carol not far from her, as they offered assistance, but like always they were told to fuck off. Dixons took care of their own, Daryl had spat at her before walking to their tent; both disappearing to tend to the young girl. _

_The next day, Lori watched along with others as the young girl followed after the brothers; dressed in cut-off white tee and a pair of shorts she suspected the brothers had stole for her. Her long, mahogany curls were often pulled by the brothers as they interacted with her, oblivious to the others. She had to be at least 20, but she was small for her age, only reaching the shoulder of Daryl. Her eyes, a startling green, watched everything around her as she was herded around; the brothers making her participate in their activities as they kept her away from the others. She was silent, not even talking to her saviors as she helped them gut their kills; the kids had tried to talk to her once while the two brothers had walked away, but she just stared at them with her big eyes until they edged away. People wanted answers, but Dixons never answered to anyone. _

_Rubbing her eyes, Lori looked at her son as he ran off with Sophia; her eyes flashing over to the tent her husband slept in. No one wanted to tell Daryl about his brother, afraid of the commotion that could occur from his hot temper. Yet it wasn't him, Lori was most afraid of. She was afraid of what the girl would do. No one knew her and her personality….the silent ones were the people you had to watch out for._

_xXx_

"Merle! Get your ugly ass out here!" Everyone that stayed at the camp watched as Daryl walked into the camp, followed silently by his shadow. The girl looked around as well, her hands gripping a knife tightly as she walked towards the tent; her string of squirrels following her. Lori wondered for a quick second where the knife had come from, but she didn't question it. Those two rednecks had weapons hidden on them, twenty-four seven.

"Daryl, slow up a bit. We got to talk to you." Shane yelled after him, Daryl stopping as he noticed the group members looking at him. Tension filled the air quickly, Lori almost tasting it as she breathed in the hot, Georgia air.

"Bout what?" He asked his voice rough as he glared at the man. No one hated Shane more than Daryl, and he made it quite known on a daily basis with his glares and nasty words.

"About Merle." Shane stated everyone's eyes on him as he took the lead. Rick stayed in the background, watching as Shane tried to handle the problem. It was like caging a wild animal; no one knew how he was going to react. "There was a problem in Atlanta."

"He dead?" Daryl tensed up as he asked, his eyes flashing over to the tent. Lori spotted the girl climbing out, her green eyes dead on the man as he was surrounded by the two men. It was like they were having a silent conversation before she disappeared. Lori shook her head, returning her attention to the commotion in front of her.

"Not sure." Shane blurted out.

"Either he is or he ain't." Daryl yelled almost, pacing around as the news sunk in. Lori watched as Rick brought himself closer to the two men, everyone knowing that a fight was about to commence. There was no doubting that.

"There is no easy way of saying this so I'll just say it." Rick stated out loud, ready for what was about to occur.

"Who are you?" Daryl asked, noticing the man for the first time.

"Rick Grimes."

"RICK Grimes." Daryl basically yelled, his chest puffing out with each breath. "You got somethin' to tell me?"

"Your brother was a danger to us all so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal." Rick answered, telling him what he needed to know. "He's still there." Daryl paced like a wild animal, hands trembling slightly before he turned around.

"Let me process this." Daryl yelled his voice raw and angry. "Saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof AND YOU LEFT HIM THERE." Daryl screamed his grip tight as he inched closer to the cop. Rick took a deep breathing steadying him as he spoke.

"Yeah." Rick answered, and silence enveloped them for a brief second as Daryl paced for a quickly second before throwing one of the ropes of squirrel at Rick. Rick dodged the object as Shane tackled him to the ground. Pushing him off of him, Daryl whipped out his knife; swinging it at Rick before Shane could get him in a headlock, the knife snatched away from him. Lori grabbed at her necklace as she watched the two men take Daryl down, anxious for both of them in her own twisted way.

"You best let me go!" Daryl screamed, thrashing on the ground.

"Nah I think we won't." Shane answered, before a loud click pierced the air. Moving away from the RV, Lori's eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. The girl had a 9mm handgun cocked and pointed towards Shane's head, her eyes like steel as she held the gun; her eyes glancing from Rick to Shane and back again.

"Ac-actually you will." The girl stammered out. With her hair in a messy bun, Lori spotted for the first time two scars running down the girls neck; the scars directly on her Adam's apple, it was probably the reason why she couldn't speak. "Let him-m go now." She growled. Everyone stood shocked since it was the first time they heard the girl speak.

"Who are you, miss?" Rick asked, ignorant of how close the girl was to Daryl.

"None of your fucking business!" Daryl yelled, Shane tightening his grip as the man thrashed on the ground. He was protective of her; everyone could see it as he thrashed harder, glaring daggers at Rick who stood above him as he watched the girl.

"My name is S-Sam." She answered her voice raw as she glared. "Te-tell your dog to let Daryl go now! I will shoot-t him, sir." Rick glanced at Shane, both was sharing a look before letting Daryl go. Scampering back up onto his feet, Daryl quickly gestured for the girl; with her gun still pointing at the two, she walked over beside him. "No-now we are gonna have an ac-actual conversation, ya hear?" She glanced at Daryl before looking at the other two. Shane and Rick nodded, watching as she put the safety back on her gun and shoved it in the back of her shorts. Shane glared at the girl, who remained oblivious as she placed herself closer to Daryl.

"What I did was not on a whim." Rick said loudly, his eyes dead on Daryl. "Your brother does not work or play well with others."

"It's not Rick's fault. I had the key and I dropped it." T- Dog blurted out loud, Daryl turning as the man looked down, guilty obvious on him. Sam had her hand on Daryl's shirt, grabbing it tightly as she felt the warmth radiate from him.

"Couldn't pick it up?"Daryl asked his voice rough. No one would call out the unshed tears he had, no one was too dumb to do that.

"Well I dropped it in a drain." T-Dog groveled, the group watching him as he shuffled in his spot. Lori watched as the girl wiped her eyes, her small body trembling behind Daryl. After that scene, Lori was afraid that people would forget that Sam was still just a girl, a frightened one to that.

"Supposed to make me feel better, it don't." Daryl growled his body tense as he moved closer to the man. Sam pulled him back, her eyes pleading with him to stop.

"Maybe this will," T-Dog retorted. "I chained the door to the roof so the geeks wouldn't get at him...with a padlock."

"It's gotta count for something." Rick added, his sympathy evident as Daryl teared up, his face scrunched up as he tried to control himself.

"Hell with all of ya'll!" Daryl yelled, pushing Sam away as he gestured at them. "Just tell me where he is so I can go get him." Lori watched as the girl stared Daryl down before walking back towards their tent. She shook her head before looking at her husband.

"He'll show you…ain't that right?"

xXx

_"Keep your head down," Daryl muttered, as he watched the girl in front of him. Leaning against the moving truck, her large eyes begged him not to leave her. He tugged one of her curls, smirking as she pushed away. "They gonna be curious now and they'll want answers." She nodded her eyes down at the ground before looking at him. _

_"D-Don't leave me." She almost begged her voice soft as she spoke. "You-you promised." He shook his head, standing up as his eyes scanned the group not far off. _

_"Merle would kill me if I brought ya in there." Daryl growled. "I'm gonna find him, and when we come back, we'll scram. I'm tired of their bullshit." Sam nodded; gripping the knife that was her's in her hand. "Now git! Keep hidden and keep your damn weapons on you." She nodded, running away from the van as he kicked the horn to alert the others. Walking towards the truck, the girl shivered as she felt eyes on her. Jumping into the bed of the truck, she noticed two pairs of eyes watching her; observing her as she sat there. _

_The mother…Lori watching her as she fiddled with her knife; wanting to know more about her after everything that had occurred. _

_The dog…Shane glaring at her as the van rode off, taking one of the few people she ever cared about. _

_Sitting in that bed, Sam did the only thing she knew to how to do._

_She waited._


	2. Vatos

_I was a nobody once…don't remember ever having a name or parents til I met the Dixon brothers._

_I was an animal then…barely clothed in anything. I only knew blood, animals and surviving in the woods. I had been 12 back then, maybe a bit younger. I never knew and a part of me didn't care. I remembered though the first time I met the Dixons. I had been killing a boar with a sharp object I had found and it almost got me before a large arrow had been shot in its head. I remembered feeling so scared, not knowing who those strange boys were; the younger one watching me with strange eyes as his brother talked to him, making weird gestures towards me. They had coaxed me to follow them, and after that…I was one of them. _

_It hurt to remember sometimes, the pain old memories brought back hurting my head more than once as I grew up; especially now that the whole world had gone to hell and beyond. When those things first started appearing, it brought back the old me; the one that had been found in the woods, killing like an animal that had no sense of word or understanding. Daryl had named me, fed me, and basically taught me to be human again. Merle…well Merle had taught me to not take shit from others, especially with my scars. I couldn't remember what had attacked me when I was young, the angular scars on my throat making it hard for me to talk. Most never accepted me when I was growing up because I was different. Yet, the Dixons took me in, and made me one of them. _

_I was human because of them. _

_With the first swing I took at one of those geeks, shells, whatever the hell they were… I had killed and killed, until I found that radio one day; screaming for anyone to come find me. I had thought the brothers were lost to the disease, but hearing Daryl's voice on that radio…it gave me hope. I stayed put, letting them find me covered in blood and sweat. They found me once again, keeping the promise Daryl made me so long ago. They would always find me, and we would be together again. _

_Stretching, I walked gingerly over to the tent; sheathing my buck knife, I strapped my other knife to my ankle before walking out. Daryl had took the keys to the truck so I couldn't follow, he knew me too well. I spotted my bow, or rather the one the boys stole for me, and decided to leave it. I was fine with my knifes and everyone else was too stupid to steal from us. Walking towards the quarry, I ignored the looks I received from the other camp members; the young kids running as they spotted me. I didn't care…they weren't my kin nor my friends. _

_I was meant to be alone._

_Walking towards the lake in the quarry, I ran silently down the path, using the rocks to hide me as I spotted Lori walking down there. Watching, I took in the fight; her shouts at the dog causing me to wonder. She was angry, but above all she was scared. You could almost smell it off of her. Shane was too familiar with her, and for what I could hear, wanted more from her. She pulled away, walking after her child; I stayed still, watching as she walked past me without knowing it. Climbing further down the quarry, I found me a spot; hidden with plenty of shade, I could watch from all angles the lake and the people down there. _

_I might not have known them, but I knew one thing._

_Daryl told me to stay so I would. _

_xXx_

_It was growing dark quickly, and the animal in me was fidgeting real bad. Animals knew when bad things were coming, like a storm or big predator, and they would run; every fiber of who I am wanted to do the same. Something wasn't sitting with me right and I didn't know what. However, I knew Daryl would be back with Merle in tow. The Dixons were too stubborn to be killed by some walker. They would only hurt themselves in the end, which was something I was taught early in life. Watching everyone eat, I kept my spot on the roof of the RV; the stars bright and beautiful, I twirled my knife in my hand. Laying down so I could gaze, I kept silent so I could listen to the others. Dale had left post for a bit, grabbing some food so I could be alone. Out of all of them, Dale didn't mind my silent nature; I think it comforted him in some way. _

_A piercing scream hit the air, my knife gripped tight in my head as I got up and looked._

_Walkers were running through the camp._

_Hearing Andrea scream for her sister as she was attacked at the door, I pulled grabbed my bow, stringing the arrows one by one; each walker I hit between the eyes. Being in my one true element, the animal in me screamed for blood as I kept shooting them down. Everyone scattered from the center group, Shane shooting at each walker that passed by the RV. _

"_Get your ass over-over here!" I screamed, watching the group fight below me. I could see Shane's eyes on me as he yelled for Lori and her kid to get close; Carol following right behind her with Sophia in tow. I shot another arrow as a walker got close to them, my entire body shaking as I fought the urge to get down there. Everything Daryl taught me battled against the side of me that wanted to fight. Martinez screamed for his family to get to the RV, pushing them forward as more came from the woods. _

_We were being over-run. The walkers feeding on the fallen as we kept fighting, I kept shooting my arrows; making the shots worth each kill. Daryl had to be coming soon, I just knew it. Several of the walkers were hitting the RV, seeing my form up on the roof. "GET INTO THE RV NOW!" I screamed, tears running down my face as I shot my last arrow, preparing myself to jump down and fight. _

_More shots rang as the group came running from the woods, each man shooting the walkers that came their way. I let out a large breath as I spotted Daryl running into the mess, shooting anything in sight. Before I knew it, all the walkers had been put down; the men breathing heavily as they took in the destruction. I watched as Daryl slammed the butt of the rifle into a walker's head; taking the last one as Rick screamed for his kid and wife. Daryl looked around, trying to find me within the group. "SAM?!" _

"_DARYL!" I yelled, waving my hands as I collapsed; panting as he spotted me on the roof. He ran over to the RV as I climbed down. Running past Andrea and her dying sister, I was soon trapped in Daryl's arms as I cried, his body shaking worse than mine as he held Merle was no where to be seen, I steel my heart; tightening my grip on Daryl as I breathed heavily. Feeling his silent tears hit my hair, I knew that for another night I was safe. They always kept their promise to me._

_The Dixons would always come back for me. _


	3. Wildfire

"_Sam!" Merle screamed his voice ragged and tiresome. "Sam, ya little shit! Where are you?" Running as fast as I could towards the woods, my hands gripped tightly around the vial of cocaine as I pushed my body to go further. The air seemed to crack with energy as an oncoming storm appeared in the sky. I didn't care though, just had to keep myself away from Merle. Only a little bit more, and I could hide in the forest till he passed out. Merle wouldn't come to look for me, even though I stole his stash. He had drunk too much and snorted some of his stash before I made my dash. "SAM!" I refused to look back as I hit the treeline, my waves of hair wiping around my face as I bounded through the thickness like a doe being chased by a wild buck. _

_Looking around, the only sound in the forest was the heavy panting of my breath; my body shivering as the occasional summer breeze hit my skin. Merle had given up it seemed, or more like I hoped. Merle had become a bit more violent over the years, and since Daryl wasn't home- I wouldn't have anyone to save me if he tried to hit slowly towards the creek, I could feel my hands grow clammy as I held the vial. I didn't know why I stole it, but he was just so out of control lately…I just knew I had to get rid of it, just for now until he found some more. Turning around, I almost screamed as I spotted Daryl emerging from the bushes; his bow cocked and ready as his eyes spotted me. "Sam, what are you-"He spotted what was in my hands, my body shaking as I gauged his reaction. I always had the urged to run, even though I had been with them for so long. "What the hell? Are you aimin' for Merle to kill your ass?"_

"_I-I'm sorry." I muttered. "He had gotten outa control." He huffed, rubbing his face with one hand as he looked towards the way I came. I fought the urge to cry, Merle's voice telling me that Dixons didn't cry loud in my head. "Pl-Please don't be mad." He looked me over for a quick second, pushing his hair back. _

"_Did he put a hand on you?" He asked, looking me over once more as he waited for my answer. I shook my head. He sighed, rubbing his eyes before he made a decision. _

"_A'ight, let's dump that shit." Grabbing my other hand softly, he led me away. His eyes always on me as we walked farther into the woodwork, I relaxed as I let the wilderness surround us with silence. _

Eyes opening, I took in my surroundings before letting out a huff. Daryl didn't wake me up like he should have; the hot, Georgia air causing my skin to crawl as I got up from my pallet and pulled on my white tank top and shorts. It was too damn hot for another layer of clothes and for me personally, I couldn't wear such confining clothing. Wasn't used to it and I never would be.

Stepping out of the tent, I gagged as the smell of burning corpses filled the air with its muskiness. I searched for Daryl, spotting him as he spiked another body in the head with a pick axe. After last night, he didn't speak much especially after I mentioned Merle. Anger rose through me as I watched Rick go towards Andrea, whose body was hunched over Amy's dead body. Merle was gone because of him; Merle might have been a racist bastard but he was still my family. He didn't deserved to be left like that.

I contained myself as Daryl spotted me, motioning me towards him before spiking another corpse in the skull. Grabbing my knife and their sheaths, I strapped them on as I walked towards him, his body already drenched in sweat. It was early morning, but it already felt like the damn Sahara. "You-you should've woke me up, Daryl." I growled, rubbing the scars on my throat as I looked around.

"Shut up, ya little shit." He retorted, smirking as he used the name Merle always called me. I bit my lip, smiling slightly even though I wanted to cry. "Find a corpse and make sure they dead. Gotta burn these bodies before more come" I nodded, wiping out one of my knives as I followed orders. The smell of the dead attracted predators, first lesson of Hunting 101. Now with the dead being the predators, we would have to burn anybody that went down because of us, or was one of us. Slamming my knife into one of the corpse's skull, I motioned T-Dog over to take it as I looked at the group huddled around the dead campfire.

They were all watching Andrea and her dead sister.

I walked over towards the group, stabbing another as Rick spoke. "She still won't move?"

"Won't even talk to us." Lori answered. "She'd been there all night. What do we do?" I watched them observe her, and couldn't help the emotions that welled up in me. For some reason, I felt like I understood her pain, but I didn't know why. Rubbing my head, I looked at Daryl and motioned towards the other corpse I found. He nodded before pulling one of the corpses over to the make shift fire they had made for the cremation. I could spot the two piles they had made, obviously someone had insisted upon burying our dead. Probably Glenn.

"Can't just leave Amy like that. We got to deal with it, just like the others." Shane added, watching the two with interested eyes.

"I'll tell her how it is." Rick stated before walking off. I took a step back as Shane glanced at me, before looking at Lori; her eyes watching her husband as he walked towards Andrea, a gun whipped towards his face as Andrea spoke softly. I stared at him, unwilling to back down as he looked at me strangely before Lori noticed me.

"Good mornin', Sam." I nodded towards her, not used to the attention. I could feel Daryl watching me as I looked around for more bodies, spotting only the ones that were close to Daryl and the other clean-up crew. Rick walked back towards us, the slight tremble in his hand telling me that even though he looked stoic he was still just as shaken up as everyone else. Daryl walked towards me, the axe in his hand as he looked towards Andrea. It seemed like no one was willing to be the one to get the body, each too drawn up in their emotions to deal with the situation at hand.

"Ya'll can't be serious? Let that girl hamstring us." Daryl muttered, making gestures towards the two. "That dead girl is a timebob."

"What do you suggest?" Rick asked, his breath heavy as the hot air got to him.

"Take the shot." Daryl growled, gesturing towards the head. "Clean in the brain from here, hell I can hit a turkey in the eyes from this distance." I nodded, agreeing with him. This was too dangerous, letting that girl slowly become a walker with her sister just a few centimeters from her mouth and nails.

"No." Lori muttered softly. "God's sake, let her be." She sat down, shading her eyes from the blaring sun.

"This needs to be handle-d." I stated, my eyes flitting back and forth as I watched; twirling my knife in my hand as I got jumpy.

"Damn straight it does." Daryl stated loudly. Looking at everyone, I knew we were outnumbered and Daryl knew too. Backing up, I could feel the anger radiate off of him. He spit before walking off, going back to burning the bodies I suspected. Turning slightly, I jumped as Rick grabbed my wrist to stop me.

"Wait a sec, we need to talk." I glared at him, my hand tight on my knife as he looked down at me. "I know that we haven't talked about Merle's death but you got to understand what was goin' on."

"Ple-please don't try to get any sympathy from me." I growled, Shane muttering to Rick to watch the knife I was holding. Jerking my wrist away from him, I sheathed the knife. "I kno-know Merle very well, so I get the fact that he is hard to work with. I know well enough, but you lef-left a man to die. Don't give me that bullshit 'bout how it was best for the group." Feeling Daryl's eyes on me, I kept myself from jumping at the man. "Deal with your damn guilt like a fuckin' man." Grinding my teeth slightly, I fought the urge to start a fight, clearly outnumbered and at a disadvantage. "Merle is-was my family, and I'll never get him back…so screw you." Rubbing my scars, I walked towards RV to get away until I heard Jacqui scream.

"A walker got him!" She yelled, looking at the others. "A walker bit, Jim." Everyone made their way towards Jim, Daryl pushing me towards Carol and the kids with a sore look before jogging towards the man.

"Show it to us." Daryl demanded. "Show it to us!" Daryl got the axe in both hands, ready to swing as Jim panted heavily; grabbing the axe on the ground, Jim swung it slightly before being grabbed behind the arms by T-Dog. Daryl pushed up the shirt, showing everyone the glistening bite mark on his ribcage before pushing away. Everyone stared at Jim, shock and fear in their eyes, as they realized the truth.

Jim had been bit and no one knew what to do.

xXx

"Sam?" I turned at the sound of my name, noticing for the first time Carol's form close to my own. The two kids weren't far behind her, Carl whispering in Sophia's ear as they looked at me. After the commotion with Jim, I had kept watch on top of Daryl's truck. I had to keep my eyes on Daryl, a part of me too scared to let him run wild on his own. Even though he was a smart man, he had a temper to match it. I shook my head as I tried to get the image of the bite mark out of my head. I looked down at the small group, watching them as Carol talked. "Would ya like to come with us? Gonna play some card games to keep these kids entertained." I glanced back at the group, Daryl muttering about Jim with the others looking at him with mixed emotions. He seemed a bit calmer so I probably wouldn't be needed. I nodded, letting Carol guide me towards a shaded tent. Both kids instantly going for a pile of Uno cards, I sat down in an empty chair with my eyes on the looming tree line. After last night, I was still a bit edgy. We would need to move soon, I just knew it. Pulling a twig out of my hair, I watched as Carol smiled slightly, placing her own pile of cards on the card table. "Would you like me to braid your hair?" I looked at her curiously as she continued. "You can't be too comfortable with this heat …it would make you a bit cooler." I nodded a slight blush on my cheeks as I sat up a bit; her fingers running through my hair as she pulled out a leaf or piece of grass.

"How you get those scars?" Carl asked, looking at my neck. Holding my neck, I could hear Carol scold the boy.

"Don't remember." I answered. "Don't remember much anymore."

"Sometimes that's the best." Carol added, her fingers soft as she slowly french braided my hair. "Remembering what's good is best." She looked at Sophia. "Isn't that right?"

"Yes, momma." She answered, smiling softly. Tying my hair with a bow, she patted my shoulders to let me know she was finished. I smiled, pulling at the braid before frowning slightly. I could hear Dayl yelling about something, probably dealing with Jim.

"I ne-need to go." I muttered, pushing myself up. "Daryl needs me, I think." Carol looked towards the RV and the separating group.

"Keep yourself safe, Sam." I could hear her voice rough, the bruises forming on her skin from the night before. I could still remember Ed hitting her, the group reacting almost instantly as they pulled him off of her; Shane beating the shit out of him because of what he did. "If anything is wrong, please-" I spotted the dry tear stains on her face, and stopped her by grabbing her hand.

"Please, don't worry bout me." I stated, chest heaving as she looked over me. "Most don't understand us, especially Dary-Daryl. He's smarter than mo-most people think, and he cares for family strongly." I looked over to the pile of corpses that have yet to be staked. "Peo-people don't look past the superficial things-we might be rednecks but we pro-protect our own. Just like you do when it comes to Sophia everyday." I gestured towards Daryl. "If you wan-want, you can pay your respects to your husband. I'll look after them." Wiping her eyes, she nodded; her hand tight on mine before leaving me to watch the kids.

Watching her walk away, I couldn't help but fight the urge to let myself get sad. Merle might have been an asshole, a racist, and a drug dealer to boot…but he was still my family. There were good times in my life that were because of him, and before recent years Merle had been my other protector in the trailer park. I wanted to always remember him as that. Sitting back down, I watched as Carol kept spiking her dead husband's head, letting all the anger and sorrow she had in her pour out as Daryl watched on; his eyes hitting mine with a brief understanding as he let Carol do what she needed.

We all had emotions we had to deal with in the end, especially now with the world as it is. Better to deal with it now, before it got in the way.


	4. Wildfire pt2

"I want to go to my mom, is that okay?" Carl asked, looking at me. I looked up, stopping my knife from twirling in my hands as I looked at the two. Sophia blushed slightly at my gaze, her eyes flicking towards Carl. Something about her made my heart clench, and I wasn't used to those feelings…not really. I was the same way with Daryl once, my heart clenching with all sorts of emotions I didn't know. It was…unsettling sometimes. I nodded, smiling slightly as I gestured for them to get up.

"Come o-on." I muttered, walking towards the clutter of cars and tents; spotting some figures standing around, I looked for Daryl. My heart skipped as I looked, for some reason my mind preparing me for the worst. Glancing towards the tent, I spotted him. Rolling me eyes, I glanced at the RV. Andrea was still huddled over Amy, her body trembling as she bent her head down towards her chest. Jumping slightly, I felt Sophia grab my hand; her grip tight as she looked up at me. I didn't quite understand why she was acting this way, but I didn't mind it. It was kind of relieving…her not being scared of how I looked. I spotted Carol sitting with Dale, her hand on Dale's knee as she grew alert. I followed her eyesight, watching as Amy began to reanimate; Andrea's grip on her sister tight as she muttered some words before pulling out a gun. I grabbed Sophia before the gun shot rang, burying her head against my chest. Carl watched on, too far away for me to shield him. Pushing her away as people walked towards Andrea, I looked down at both of them. "Go, its bout time for the bodies to be bur-buried." Both nodded, quickly running towards their parents as I just stood there.

"Sam?" Daryl stated as he walked towards me, tugging at a loose curl as I watched Rick bend down to talk to Andrea, Shane and Glenn ready behind him to take the body from her. I smiled, pushing him away a bit. "You okay?" I nodded, wiping my eyes as they watered.

"Y-yeah, I'm o-okay." I answered, letting him grab my head as he led me away from the sight; us walking towards the tent and truck. "D-Daryl, are we gonna leave t-them?" He stopped, glancing behind his back.

"You wanna?" he asked me. I shrugged, climbing into the bed of the truck before sitting down. Watching him pull out a rag to wipe his knifes down, I took a deep breath to calm myself.

"I think we n-need to stay." I stated, fiddling with one of the arrows that laid scattered in the bed. "Safe-safety in numbers, som-someone watching our backs." He glanced up, daggers in his eyes.

"Not one of these fuckers are watching our backs….we watch out for each other, remember?" he basically growled at me. "We're the ones keepin' this group alive with our huntin'." I nodded quickly, blushing. Even though he wouldn't talk about his emotions, I knew he was greatly angered by Merle's disappearance and the reason behind it. Even though we are close, Merle was family by blood. That was worth a lot more than just regular friendship in our neck of the woods.

"So its Dixons against the world…" I muttered, watching as several of the others started wrapping up the bodies of our group. Daryl muttered in agreement, looking me over for a quick second before returning to his task, leaving me to my thoughts.

xXx

_Backing up the hill, bodies in the back, Daryl couldn't help but be pissed._

_Glancing at Sam, her big eyes far away as she stared out the window, he glowered at what she said. They didn't need anyone, they were Dixons and they could survive on their own. Always been that way, and she should know that especially. He could still remember finding her in the woods for the first time, her small body frail and barely clothes with dried blood on her skin. She had been wild, but when they got her back to the house….she seemed to fit in. _

_She was one of them from the get go._

_Merle might had been wary of her, but he grew to like her in his own way. Gave him another reason to beat the shit out of people as she grew (too many wandering eyes for his liking, he said once), and it let him be another mentor to a young mind. He saw the chance to mold her into another minion, just like Daryl was since he could walk. Daryl, however, had been fascinated with her. _

_She was just like him. _

_She was the wildness of the woods embodied, and Daryl did everything in his power to keep her that way. She might had grew and become more intelligent than the brothers, but she was still just like him. Sam was a hunter and a damn good one at that. So why couldn't they leave off on their own? They had each other's backs and he didn't think that was going to change ever._

_Stopping the truck, he watched as Sam got out; the quickness of her step intriguing to him as he followed._

"_I still think it's a mistake," Daryl muttered, watching the two men as they quit digging. "not burning these bodies." They had been arguing, anyone could see it. Sam was closely behind him, taking her usual spot. "It's what we said we do, right? Burn them all? Aint that the idea?" _

"_At first." Rick grunted as they started to dig again. Sam watched with curious eyes, glancing from the two men to the oncoming group of people, Lori in front with Carl and the other child. _

"_Chinaman gets all emotional, says not the thing to do and we just follow along?" Daryl kept on, watching the two. "These people need to know who the hell is in charge here...what the rules are."_

"_Well that's a problem." Lori spoke up. "We haven't had one minute to hold onto anything of ourselves. We need time to mourn, and we need to bury __**our dead." **__Sam gripped onto the back of his shirt, her body tense behind him. "It's what people do." Daryl watched as she walked away, her child back in her arms. He looked down at Sam, her eyes wide as she stared up at him._

"_Let them do th-this." She whispered. "We mi-might not u-understand th-this, but the-they need this clos-closure." Sucking his teeth, he huffed, turning away so he could help T-Dog and Glenn unload the bodies one by one. As each body was placed in a grave, Daryl couldn't help but glance at Sam, watching as she took in the experience. She hung back, biting her bottom lip as she watched the others cry for these people. Sam had never seen a burial before, he thought, she wasn't used to what happened at these things. Walking away as Andrea took a hold on her sister's body, he made his way over to her; slinging his arm around her shoulders as she looked up at him, smiling with a light blush on her cheeks. Leaning his head against her own, Daryl realized why they needed to stay even more. _

_Merle and he might have made her more human, but Sam needed the interaction of others especially now with the world gone to hell. If anything happened to him, he needed to make sure someone would look after her. They needed to stay for her, and if they could benefit from the other's eyes and food, then it would be alright for them. "Come on," he muttered, as everyone started to move away. She nodded, letting him guide her away from the graves and towards the truck. Watching her climb in, he soon followed; his eyes shifting towards Rick and his wife before starting the truck up. They would need to stay….Daryl needed to look after Sam's wellbeing first and foremost and this was the best he could do. _

xXx

Shooting down the fourth squirrel I spotted near the campsite, I strung it up on the string before wiping off my arrow with a spare rag I found around the site. I looked behind me, spotting Daryl leaning against the truck with a rifle in hand and a smirk on his face. For some reason, he had been laughing at me. "What a-are you doing?" I asked, watching him as he walked closer to me. He gestured behind his right, the two kids watching me with eager expressions behind their mother's bodies. I rolled my eyes, throwing Daryl the catch.

"Seems like you got an audience, baby girl." He smirked, catching the squirrel with one hand.

"Oh, hu-hush up and clean them." I growled, climbing up into the bed as I stowed my bow back in the cab of the truck. "Th-they just too cu-curious for their own good." Daryl glanced over to the group of people looming at the fire pit, gesturing me to follow as Shane and Rick came out of the woods, followed by Dale. Pulling me off of the bed with one arm, we followed the others.

"I've a…I've been thinkin' bout Rick's plan." Shane stated. "And look, there are no guarantees and I'll be the first one to admit that." He looked over everyone; his body slightly crouched down at eye level. "I've known this man a long time. I trust his instincts. I say the most important thing here is that we need to stay together." He took a deep breath. "For those of you who agree, we leave here first thing in the morning. Okay?" He looked at all of us, even me before getting up. I glanced at Daryl, who seemed to be deep in thought. Pulling at his hand, I gestured towards the truck.

"You clean 'em, I'll cook um?" I asked, smiling as he nodded.

"Yeah, come on." He muttered, walking with me. Propping myself up on the truck, I watched as he sat down in front of the tent and begun to skin the squirrel; my eyes drifting close as I hummed, I looked him over. He glanced up at me, shaking his head as he continued. "You tired?" I shook my head, fighting the urge to yawn. "Liar." He growled.

"Kiss my a-ass, ya redneck." I muttered, burying my head in my arms as I laid out. He puckered up his lips, getting a glare and a middle finger thrown his way. Smiling, I looked at the others, watching as they did their tasks. "Daryl, are we go-going with th-them?" I asked, watching him stop and look up again.

"Yeah, we are."

xXx

"_Alright, everyone listen up." Shane yelled. "Any of you with CBs, we gonna be on Channel 40 but let's keep the chatter down, okay?" Sam yawned, leaning her head against the window of the truck; already packed and seated for the ride ahead. Daryl leaning against the side, his eyes glancing back and forth; taking in the words being spoken. "Now you got a problem- don't have a CB, can't get a signal, anything at all- you beat your horn one time. That will stop the caravan. Any questions?" _

"_We're uh- we're not going."Martinez stated, everyone looking at him with wide eyes. _

"_We have family in Birmingham." His wife spoke up, her hands tight on her children as she continued."We want to be with our people." Sam looked at Daryl, before looking away; her attention not needed for the rest. _

"_You're on your own…you won't have anyone to watch your back." Shane retorted, leaning against his rifle as he spoke. _

"_We'll take the chance." Martinez stated, looking at Rick as he continued. "I've got to do what's best for my family." Everyone watched the exchange between the two men with interest; no one knowing what was going to happen next. _

"_You sure?" Rick asked. _

"_We talked about it." Martinez glanced at his wife before nodding. "We're sure."_

"_Well alright." Rick muttered. Daryl walked away, getting into the truck as the others began to hug the departing family. Watching as Sam twirled a strand of hair between her fingers; he couldn't help but pat her shoulder._

"_You okay?" She nodded, smiling softly as she stopped fidgeting. Hearing the other vehicles start, Daryl followed suit, his eyes glancing on the motorcycle in the back before he started to drive. Hanging her head out the window, Sam left the humid breeze run through her hair; her eyes closed as she started to hum again. Chewing on his lip, he continued to drive, watching out for anything that could be in the way._

"_Daryl, you kn-know what I miss most?" Sam suddenly asked after an hour or two, her big eyes on him as she let the breeze through her hair. He shrugged, thinking about all the things he could miss from where they used to live. "I mi-miss that lake we w-went to that summer." She smiled largely as the memory seemed to play out in her head. "Spe-spent the whole time in the water, letting myself j-just float as the cl-clouds w-went by." She blushed as she continued. "You w-were so young, and came barreling after me cause you t-thought I had drown." Daryl laughed, remembering how he searched for her in the woods until Merle had yelled about her being in the lake. He had stripped to his boxers and jumped in….just to find her floating with a massive smile on her face; he could remember giving her hell bout that for weeks. "I wi-wish we could go back t-there again."_

"_One day, maybe we can." He added, slowing down the truck as the RV shuddered to a stop. Parking, he looked back at her. "Wanna get out and stretch?" She nodded, making sure she had her knife before hopping out. Grabbing his crossbow, he followed suit; the faint memories of the past still on his mind. _

_xXx_

Watching as Daryl went up to the smoking RV, I kept my eyes on the tree line; the memories of the past attack still etched into my muscles and memory. We wouldn't go through that again, I hoped, but you never know with how the world was. Leaning against the truck, I watched as Jacqui ran to the others, gesturing towards the inside of the RV. Something was wrong with Jim, Rick walking into the holding as the others stood outside. We were going to have to deal with this, I felt. Watching as Shane and T-Dog drove off, Daryl jogged over to where I stood; a look of disgust on his face as he took a breath. "What's goin' on?" I asked, motioning towards the RV.

"It's Jim." He grunted. "He can't make the ride or something." I nodded, watching as Rick walked out of the RV, and began to talk with Lori and the others. "They should just put him out of his misery."

"T-they ain't going to do it, and y-you know it." I muttered. Waiting alongside Daryl, we watched as Shane and T-Dog drove back up and was told the news. It happened quick enough, Rick and Shane picking up his frail body and moving it up the hill in the shade. Everyone looked behind them, each sorrowful and disgusted about what was going on. It wasn't right to do this, to leave the man on the side of the road where he could get eaten. No one would wish that upon another, but he wanted this from Rick said.

"Hey, another damn tree." He muttered. His body shook as he laid there, the tree being the only reason he could look at us normally.

"Hey, Jim. You know it don't have to be like this?" Shane muttered. He hunched over the man, trying his best to get the man to reconsider.

"No, it's good." Jim answered, his eyes fluttering close as a small breeze ran through the air. "The breeze feels nice." I watched as Shane nodded, walking away as Jacqui took his place.

"Just close your eyes, sweetie." Crouching down, she kissed his cheek; her body shaking as she fought the urge to cry. An idea popped into my head, my hand grasping my knife as I waited to talk to the dying man before us.

"Jim, do you want this?" Rick asked, a revolver in his hand. Already loaded with bullets, Rick was giving the man the chance to have a weapon- to fight something off or to opt out, I guess. A part of me begged for him to take it, to lessen the guilt everyone seemed to feel.

"No, you'll need it." He stated, taking a deep breath as his body shuddered. "I'm okay." Rick nodded, walking back towards his wife as Dale stepped forward.

"Thanks for the ride…..thanks for fighting for us." He said with a smile on his face. Jim nodded, letting the poor man go. I stepped up, crouching down close enough so no one would see what I was about to offer.

"Jim," I muttered softly as the others walked off, Daryl not far from me but far enough. "Jim, do you w-want me to end the p-pain for you?" He shook his head as I drew out my knife. "Y-you wouldn't fee-feel a thing….I-It would be quick." He stopped, thinking before he shook his head again.

"No…no, I'm fine." He muttered as he looked at me. "I don't want you to have my blood on your hands." He looked past me for a brief second before looking at me again. "Go, I'll be okay." Nodding, I quickly got up and walked past Daryl, almost running to the truck. Getting it, I closed my eyes; letting Daryl walk in and start the truck without my gaze. It didn't feel right to leave him…made me want to cry but I had to be strong. Feeling the truck drive off, I could almost feel Daryl staring me down.

"What did you say to him?" He asked.

"I g-gave him a wa-way out…he said no." I muttered, wiping a tear off my face. Grabbing my hand out of my lap, he squeezed tightly. I huffed, smiling as he showed affection the only way he could."Ju-just felt wrong to l-leave him there."

"I know." He muttered. Leaning my head against the window, I kept watching the trees as we zoomed past them; letting the mesh of brown and green calm my heart as we moved closer to the city. I could only hope we would find answers in the concrete jungle we were going into.

What would it cost us though?


End file.
